1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mechanical transducer assembly preferably comprising a plurality of synchronized conveyors moving in a vertically oriented continuous path of travel and operating at a high level of efficiency due to a positive moment of force being continuously exerted thereon due to the selective positioning of weighted arms along upward and downward path segments of the continuous path of travel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mechanical transducers may generally be defined as devices which serve to transfer energy from a working device or assembly, through a power takeoff means to an applicable workload. It is, of course, axiomatic that any device or assembly designed to produce work energy must do so in such a manner as to overcome the general inefficiencies associated with the actual workings of the device itself, as well as produce a sufficient amount of additional work energy to satisfy the requirements of the desired work load. The laws of physics recognize that, a significant amount of work energy is "wasted" due to the interactions between the various structural components defining an energy producing device or assembly. Natural occurring phenomenon such as friction, gravity, etc., are of course, the primary causes for significantly reducing the efficiency of most drive assemblies or like work producing devices. Numerous attempts have been made to increase the efficiency of drive assemblies or mechanical transducers through the design of better lubricants and/or more efficient bearing assemblies and other more effective interacting components. However, even in light of the improved designs in these areas, loss of significant work energy is the result of work producing devices operating at less than maximum efficiency. Naturally, that lost work energy would ideally be available for use if a drive assembly were operated at close to 100% efficiency.
Based on the above, it is a well recognized principle that work producing mechanisms cannot operate on a continuous basis and produce sufficient work energy to be transferred to an applicable work load without the input of a certain amount of additional energy. Attempts to overcome this principal have resulted in designs for so-called "perpetual motion" machines which may appear workable upon a cursory review of an initial design therefore, but, which fail to produce meaningful work energy once reduced to prototype or practical application.
Accordingly, while perpetual motion machines of the type described above are generally recognized as being impossible in terms of producing usable work energy, structural modifications of certain mechanical transducers are possible in order to greatly increase the efficiency thereof. A substantial increase in efficiency results in a significant reduction in the energy input normally required to produce a working capable of transferring usable work energy to an applicable or predetermined work load. Therefore, there is a need in the art of mechanical transducers for an assembly having specific design characteristics and cooperative structural components which work together to greatly increase the efficiency of the assembly, thereby minimizing the required energy input and maximizing the available work energy capable of being transferred from the device to a work load of the type described.